Nine of Wands

In my novel Witching Well – Nine of Wands, part of the Ellora’s Cave Torrid Tarot series, the Nine of Wands is prominent in the decisions and behavior of my main character, Astrid. The tarot card itself depicts a figure with his head and arm bandaged, leaning on a crutch. He’s battle-scarred but still standing. Down but not out. His sense of trust replaced with wariness.

The Nine of Wands is about defending, persevering, and showing stamina. It signifies strength and standing tall, even during tough times. To keep going no matter what and fight the good fight. Astrid remains strong though her psyche is wounded. While drawn to Killian, she must protect herself from further hurt. He brings a sense of security to her, but she must remain in control. When the power of the witches threatens all Astrid has worked hard to rebuild, she has no choice but to fight, regardless of the outcome.

She has moments of weakness, but she uses those to her advantage. Astrid calls on her reserves to help her fight. Even when she doesn’t think there is fight left in her.

If during a tarot reading the Nine of Wands is turned over, you’ll want to take some precautions in your life, and be extra attentive to your surroundings. Or if you’ve just been through something that has knocked you down, remind yourself that you are strong, and have the ability to persevere. Find your inner strength and don’t give up.

To find out more about the Nine of Wands, click Here

To read my blurb and excerpt of Witching Well, please click Here




~Ann Cory

All In a Day's Work...

We love sexy heroes who sweep us off our feet while saving the day--it's one of the reasons we all read romance novels! To celebrate Sexy Heroes, I'll be talking about favorite heroes, hosting contests and posting excerpts from my upcoming books during the entire month of May! Check out my website and blog beginning Friday, May 1 and join in the fun!

In the meantime, here's a little something about one of my favorite Sexy Heroes, Roman D'Angelo (ultra-hot vampire in Devil's Kitchen by Calista Fox--on sale at Ellora's Cave!). Heather from Fallen Angels Reviews gave the story--and Roman--5 Angels!

"Kristina Hartland refuses to be a pawn in her father’s corporate games, especially after he announces her engagement to the spineless Seth Corbett, her childhood nemesis. She looks to her devoted bodyguard and clandestine lover, Roman, to save her from her father’s ruthless business deal and marriage to someone she hates. Roman is hiding from a dark past and knows he should not get involved, but he cannot seem to resist Kristina’s persuasive tactics. What Roman doesn’t realize is that his love for her will put them both in danger. Will he be able to save Kristina, and will she still love him after she learns his secrets?

If you can’t take the heat, then stay out of Devil’s Kitchen. This book set me on fire and completely blindsided me. It was not just scorching hot, but the clever twists in the story took me by surprise. I like to think of myself as a pretty smart cookie, and when an author can catch me off guard like Calista Fox did, I have to hand it to her! I was also completely engrossed in the love affair between Kristina and Roman. I genuinely liked Kristina. She’s tough, smart, confident and yet vulnerable. Roman stole my heart though. I felt the struggle and freedom he experienced when he broke all of his own rules. I will be on the look out for more steamy and intriguing stories from this author in the future."

Thanks, Heather!

Best,

Calista

What is Sexy?

As an erotic romance author, I think about this a lot. Because a lot of the books I write, well, they need to be sexual and sexy.

Let's face it, what's one person's delight is another person's disgust.

We are all wired differently as to what we find arousing. That's why there are many different body types, colognes, and such.

I'm probably an oddball but I find a man's hands very sexy. I always love it when the hubby holds my hand. I like to look down see our fingers entwined. The differences in skin tone. The differences in skin type. His larger hand holding mine.

Yes, that's probably why I end up having something like a hand holding scene in most of my novels. If they aren't holding hands, the man is touching the woman's skin with his hand.

As you can tell from the above, sexy doesn't have to include sex. Building sexual tension doesn't always start out with sex (though it can!).

One of the most erotic novels I'd read to date is the The Lady's Tutor by Robin Schone. The couple do not even kiss until over half way through. But the sexual tension has been escalating and swirling. When they do kiss, you feel it deep within. When they finally have sex, it's a fevered pitch affair. Neither the kiss or the sex scene come out of the blue. The story is erotic all the way through.

And yes, I've seen novels start off with sex and be sexy all the way through. I've seen novels start off with sex and it's wooden.

Presentation is everything.

Figuring out what's sexy to your characters is a great building block to writing an erotic story. Just like "real" people, they are as different as can be.

What do you find sexy?

Mechele Armstrong aka Lany of Melany Logen
http://www.mechelearmstrong.com
http://www.melanylogen.com

TEARS OF THE DRAGON - 5 STAR TRS REVIEW

This novella has had some nice reviews, but my favorite is this latest one by The Romance Studio's Dee Dailey. Dailey saw what others did not - that at it's deepest level this is a love story.

Gloriana, princess of the golden dragons of the high mountains, has a sacred destiny to fulfill, but first she’s required to mate and produce an heir. In human form, as Arondele and hiding her true nature, she’s fallen in love with Rodick, a powerful knight in the enchanted kingdom of Ahnerion. Only after seducing an aroused but reluctant Rodick does she learn that, for not being a virgin when she mates for the first time as Gloriana, the penalty is death. For both of them.

Terrified for Rodick’s safety, she abandons him. They will slay her, but he’ll be safe.

Blazing passion fuels Rodick’s hunt to find her. When he learns what she is, and knows he must battle her father, the powerful and fearsome king of the golden dragons, for her, will his love stand the test? Will he and his princess survive?

EXCERPT

His dreams were filled with her…her body naked, warm thighs spread invitingly beneath him, arms reaching for him as his engorged cock teased her pussy and his balls brushed her hot slit. She lay with her golden hair spread out across the pillow on his bed, and a swirling collage of gold, purple, red and emerald colored the room.

He took the purple satin ribbons she’d presented to him and tied her hands to the wooden bedstead as she lifted her hips to him in invitation. He heard her pant as he tied her legs apart. Her gasp turned to hoarse moans as his mouth plundered her with a kiss in that most intimate part of her body.

Before he could slide through that golden nest of tight curls into her slick slit, he wakened, hot and sweaty, just as a dream king wearing a gigantic jeweled crown and flailing a burnished sword the size of a castle bore down on him. The king rode the back of a drang, its sharp talons heading straight for Rodick’s throat.

Rodick pulled himself out of the nightmare and sat on the bed’s edge with his head in his hands, experiencing again the reality that too much wine was a nasty thing.

He thought of the vision of her in his dream. He rose, his cock hard, his to empty his bladder strong.

Thighs spread wide and tied with purple ribbons, huh? Don’t you wish.

Don’t you dare. . .


"Carolina Valdez weaves this romance into a brilliant and warm tale full of magic. . .full of the kind of people we'd like to surround ourselves with everyday. . .a keeper, one of the best love stories of the year." Reviewed by Dee Dailey, The Romance Studio
Full review here

For more TEARS OF THE DRAGON

Carolina Valdez

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Passion - Heat - Ecstasy

My Love Affair With Superheroes

My first love affair with a superhero didn’t begin as a kid reading comic books. Although, I will admit I was thoroughly impressed with the first Superman, George Reeves, in the old black and white TV show because he had the power to help people and save them. And because he stood for TRUTH, JUSTICE AND THE AMERICAN WAY. It was his nobility, his goodness and his heroic acts that held my little child’s heart. I still remember to this day that moment when I learned the actor who played Superman had died. It hardly seemed possible.

Yes, I read comic books, the old Archie comics especially ~ yep, I’m that old. However, I quickly grew out of that stage. Actually, it was my youngest brother who always had a superhero comic book in one hand, reading and chuckling and making exclaiming noises, when he wasn’t running around the neighborhood like a true heathen. Tod, my brother, always claimed he learned to read because of comic books. He was a math genius actually, but as a young child he wasn’t motivated to learn how to read, until the exciting adventure-landia of those worlds.

Me? I fell in love with Superman the instant I walked into the darkened movie theater and saw Christopher Reeves flying as Superman. That moment, that magic of falling in love, is branded into my memory forever. As a red-blooded woman how could I ignore those piercing gorgeous blue eyes, that muscular yet sleek all-male body. Then there was his dark sexy hair, the very heroic shape of his face. He became Superman for me.

Truthfully, I never thought I’d fall for a comic book hero. Never. Now, I have two erotic romance novels that harken back to that moment of seeing Christopher Reeves as Superman. Destiny is often a strange critter I contend, since Christopher Reeves turned out to be a real life hero.

I don’t know about you, but me and my girlfriends would occasionally remark and tittering-speculate on certain attributes a man of steel might possess in the bedroom. Actually, we were darn tame compared to this day and sexual age.
However, I won’t go into the lusty lascivious details of our libation-encouraged fantasies, since this definitely gets into the realm of the personal. Suffice it to say, I’ve had my share of superhero fantasies. Now, I get the extreme pleasure of exploring the rod of steel, as I did, in my erotic romance novels, BLACK CAT BEAUTY and HER INSATIABLE DARK HEROES.

My heroes in HER INSATIABLE DARK HEROES, coming soon from Siren-BookStrand, have survived the catastrophic weather wars on their world. About ten percent of the remaining population begin to have superpowers in conjunction with the arrival of the Harbinger, a blue star seen through the ash and haze of their devastated planet-world. This particular story was much darker to write than my previous books because in this world, the characters are struggling to survive and to continue the slow recovery of their bay city, Chrontropolis.

Here’s a blurb ~

How many Superheroes does it take to satisfy the one woman who dances like a fire goddess? Answer: the four Dark Valorous Brothers of Chrontropolis.
Before the weather wars destroyed her world, Wendra was the girl next door, except for her dancing talent and her desire to become a top performer. When she is rescued from her own desperate attempt to fly inside her flame by Dark Zavier, then Claimed by the four Dark Valorous brothers, she has no idea to how cope with their primitive insatiable sexual needs, or their passionate longing to bond with her.
On top of that, her own super power, the ability to use flame as a weapon, is becoming stronger by the day, even if it remains useless against the Dark Brothers’ determination to master her. Still, how does she make her own blazing mark, in the new world of Superheroes and Super Villains?

Here’s an unedited X-cerpt ~

“SlashFlame Kitten,” Zion groaned. With one finger he tenderly separated her wet curls.

Carefully he pulled back the flesh of her mound with his fingertip. Wendra almost screamed, the pleasure softly ripping up her belly. “God, you’ve got to see her clit. It’s huge. Red and gleaming like the devil’s own sin.”

“God.” Zavier uttered a fierce groan.
For a long moment Zotorro clamped her nipples between his fingers. He gripped her enormous hard buds without compromise, holding.
“Look,” Zion prompted. “I’ll bet her clit is pulsing for us.”
“Our first look at her. Together,” Zent growled, his tone primitive. “My cock is in hell, until I can get it inside her.”
“Wendy,” Zotorro harshly praised. “God, my rod has never been this heavy, this fucking hard. She’s beautiful.”
With her nipples fierce for more stimulation, Wendra uttered a sharp scream. She tried to buck her hips, the pain of need clawing up her insides. God, she had to have an orgasm. Now.
“Do it,” Zavier desperately rasped.
Zion’s finger slipped over her clit, then lightly fondled the length, easing the wanton frantic ache, yet building a more ruthless need inside her.
“That’s it. Do it to her.” Zent squeezed her breasts a bit more, adding to her rapturous sensations, and to the torrid heat of her flesh.
When she thought she would burst apart at her very seams, the ache climbed higher, then bloomed outward in a tumultuous bliss that soon had her sailing, as if she winged through heaven.
“Stop. Just hold her.” She heard Zavier speak from on high. Everything bloomed inside her, magnificently unfolding, flowing outward as she continued floating. Nearly mindless.
Once she began to fall, and once she became aware, she struggled not to land. Knowing they, all the Dark brothers, waited for her. Her loins still hungered for the thrusting of their cocks, yet she wasn’t prepared for this. She really wasn’t.
~~~~~~

My hero in BLACK CAT BEAUTY, Devon Zant, is a rising movie star who plays Super Ace, a superhero similar to Superman. His secret, he really does possess the powers of a superman because he’s from another world where such powers are normal. I can tell you this story was a whole lot of fun to write!

~~~ Sable & Devon invite you to read their love story ~ will a black cat girl find happiness with a superhero? ~~~

BLACK CAT BEAUTY ... She has the claws and the cattitude to prove it... He has the super-powered strength and passion she fights, but needs... available from Liquid Silver Books ~ http://www.liquidsilverbooks.com/books/blackcatbeauty.htm ~ http://liquidsilverbooks.com/ ~
~~~~~~

Okay, how about you? Do you have a favorite superhero/superheroine, or favorites? A moment when you fell in love?
~~~~

HAPPY READING
May your erotic romantic dreams come true...

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~

Yes, please. May I have another?

I have to admit I'm a big fan of series books. I ALWAYS want more, more, more. I was depressed for one whole week after reading the last Harry Potter book. I was furious when Stephenie Meyer changed her mind about writing another Twilight book. I have the date of Diana Gabaldon's next Outlander book written in my calendar and I'm doing a big countdown. What can I say? I'm a greedy reader. Give me more!

Starting out as a writer, I figured I was lucky to finish one book and I never gave much thought to writing a second. Each day, I worked to learn the mechanics, the grammar, the techniques associated with writing and believe me, I took it one page at a time, one book at a time.

Lately, however, I've been looking at writing books in a series. As an author, there is something very comforting about visiting familiar characters, returning to their lives. The idea sprung up after the publication of my second book, Kiss Me, Kate. I started receiving letters from readers who wanted Wes and Jill's story. In my mind, they were secondary characters and although I certainly alluded to their budding relationship, I hadn't actually worked out the 'hows' and 'whys' of their romance. I recently completed their story and it's called Three Reasons Why. It's currently sitting on my editor's desk. Fingers crossed!

One series that is completed is my "What Women Like" series with Ellora's Cave. Sugar and Spice is available now and Everything Nice will be released on June 3. It was great fun to write about this group of characters and I thought I'd share the blurb and an excerpt from Everything Nice.

Charlie’s wants Allie. Allie and Alex want each other—and Charlie. But does Charlie want Alex? Plunging headfirst into a ménage is one way to find out…

After Alex confesses to Allie that he wants both her and his best friend, Charlie, in his bed, Allie skips town like a thief in the night. Now, six years later, Allie is back in their lives, all grown up and more alluring than ever. What starts as a night of three friends catching up turns into intimate explorations in Charlie’s truck…and Alex’s shower…and his king-size bed…

While Alex and Allie are thrilled with the threesome, Charlie struggles with the idea of sharing Allie, and with his newfound feelings for his best friend. A hot encounter at the office—with Alex bent over his desk—only confuses Charlie further. It’s up to Alex and Allie to convince him that two plus one can equal love.

Reader Advisory: Everything Nice, a sequel to Sugar and Spice, offers intense scenes of male-on-male sex and heart-stopping ménage. The meek need not apply.

“So, how long have you been in love with Anderson?” Taylor asked.

Allie turned to look at him briefly before letting her gaze drift back to the man in question.

“Forever,” she confessed, the alcohol loosening her tongue. “How long have you been in love with him?”

Her question was nothing more than a taunt, a petty way to strike out against the man and she expected him to ignore her challenge, offer a flat out denial, call her a fool.

She’d only come to suspect Taylor’s feelings toward his best friend since they’d moved home from college. For some reason, after their return, she’d begun to watch Taylor as much as Anderson. A fact she couldn’t even begin to explain to herself as the man had been a thorn in her side for most of their childhood. To say they butted heads often was an understatement. Ginny had teased her about her volatile relationship with Taylor, once claiming that they were both too much alike.

She was surprised to hear his heavy sigh of resignation.

“How did you know?” he asked.

Allie offered him a light laugh, despite the fact her heart felt far from happy. “I’m not blind.”
Taylor nodded as if her answer were enough. “It would seem that blindness only affects Anderson.”

“He doesn’t know?”

Taylor chuckled, though the sound offered no mirth. “Never came up in conversation.”

“In twelve years?”

“He’s not gay, Allie.”

She raised her eyebrows at his words. “I wouldn’t have said you were either, if your list of female conquests was any indication.”

“You’re right. I’m not gay,” he admitted. He turned away from watching Anderson and moved closer to her. His intent gaze, while making her uneasy, drew her toward him like a moth to a flame.

“Care to explain that statement?” she asked, the alcohol in her system making her say things she’d never have had the nerve to voice otherwise.

“Ever heard the term bisexual?” he replied sarcastically.

She scowled, but before she could chastise him for being such a smartass, he grinned at her and ran his hand down her cheek in a more-than friendly way. “Allie, I love women too. I love being with women, making love to them, tasting and touching them.”

“But you’ve been with men as well?”

“A couple in college,” he confessed.

“Neither of them stole your heart?” she asked, silently wondering why it felt so natural to be having this far-from-normal conversation with a man she’d always suspected detested her.

“My heart’s not available,” he answered simply.

“It belongs to Anderson?”

Taylor glanced back at his friend. “He’s the only man I’ve ever truly found myself attracted to—in a forever kind of way. I can’t help wondering what it would be like to be with him.”

She nodded. “Well, that certainly explains why you hate me. I never realized it before, but I suppose I’m the competition.”

Taylor’s eyebrows lowered, furrowed. “I don’t hate you, Allie. I never have.”

Allie was surprised by his answer. “But I thought—”

“Allie,” Taylor interrupted, moving closer to her. “You aren’t the competition. You’re part of the equation.”

Before she could respond, his lips lowered to hers, taking them in a kiss that was gentle and hard at the same time, tentative and possessive in the same breath.

She tried to understand what was happening but the alcohol left her brain feeling fuzzy, while Taylor’s kisses and roving hands left her body feeling very warm.

When he pulled back, Allie opened her eyes. “I’m drunk. And confused,” she admitted, and Taylor laughed, drawing his finger softly down her cheek again.

“Soon, hellion. Soon it’ll all work out. You’ll see.” And with that enigmatic comment, Taylor got up and walked around the bonfire, joining in the conversation with Travers and Anderson.
Allie took a deep breath and struggled to understand what had just happened. She looked around at the other people at the party. No one seemed to have noticed Taylor kissing her, everyone engrossed in their own conversations.

What the hell am I doing?

Kissing Alex Taylor—a confessed bisexual who happened to be in love with the same man as she—was not smart.

Shit, she was drunk and depressed about her life. Her mind was playing tricks on her. There was no way she could have possibly understood Taylor’s intentions correctly. He couldn’t have meant that he intended to have her and Anderson, could he?

She struggled to take a deep breath and a feeling of claustrophobia closed in on her as she realized she could give in to his desires far too easily. Apparently Ginny had been right. She and Taylor were similar people with similar hopes and needs.

But if she succumbed to Taylor’s invitation, where would that leave her?

Here, she thought sadly. Stuck in this same godforsaken town waiting tables at the fucking diner. The image of her exciting new job offer floated before her eyes.

Stay or leave?

Stay or leave?

She felt someone watching her and her gaze traveled to Anderson. She saw him studying her, his eyebrows lowered. So many emotions seemed to be controlling his face, she couldn’t tell what he was thinking or feeling. Curiosity, anger, jealousy, concern?

So she’d been wrong. One person had seen the kiss. One person had seen it all.

Overstimulation

Too many naked bodies, too many sexually suggestive positions. Who knew it could be possible?

During the course of the last month, I've been collaborating with my friend and critique partner, Elise Logan, on the design of our new website, ScorchedSheets.com.



D'you have any idea how much stock art we looked at? How many weeks we spent sighing and moping over images that were fantastic except the female model was ugly, or the male model's feet looked odd? I started to go cross-eyed toward the end. Nobody was sexy anymore. Nothing stimulated my imagination. I had visual overload. Too many sculpted abs, too many bedroom eyes...I wanted it to stop!

Finally, it did. And I'm thrilled with the result, which I can now present to you.

Hope you'll stop by and take a peek - we have nifty things, like free reads, a serial story, my recent blog about cybersex and sex music, and I'm confident we'll have more to come in the future.

Come tell me about your cybersex or sex music experiences by next Tuesday, and I'll even give away a copy of my upcoming release, "Changing Thumbelina," to one lucky commenter.

New Release and a Free Story from Leigh Ellwood

What a week! New books, big convention, and at the end I get to meet Goofy! Woohoo!

First off, the shameless plug:

The Dares That Bind
Phaze Books, $3
BDSM, Contemporary, Series
Click here to order.

Book 1.5 of Dareville!

Victoria Robeson is content to live at home and work her dead-end job, despite dealing with her overbearing mother, just as long as she has time to write. When she meets the handsome and mysterious Alton Weiss as Dareville prepares for Brady Garriston's big concert, Vic is unnerved and intrigued by how well he knows her personality and desires.

Alton introduces her to a world of sensuality and submission, encouraging her to become a new woman. But is Alton merely a weekend distraction, or the promise of a better life?

This story is set around the same time as Truth or Dare, and the characters will figure into the upcoming Dare Devils. In the meantime, I'm working on a non-Dareville work to satisfy my commitment to Loose-ID (and I hope that work will spawn a series, too), and a Darevile quickie freebie, as well as a few shorts I'd like to send out to a few anthologies. Jolie du Pre's call for cougar stories has me inspire to write one.

Also, a possible story for Phaze's Raven line. I have a great title I HAVE to use for it.

Hey, baby, want some candy?

I'm feeling generous this month. Maybe it's my determined spirit in the face of #amazonfail, maybe because it's tax time and I'm aware some people are pinching pennies this week before they feel sure enough to start buying books again. Whatever the reason, I have a freebie to give away this week, and the promise of two more to come.

Anyway, this week it's Sweet Surprise, released for free through Phaze Books. Head over to the free erotic romance stories page there to download the PDF.

How does a sexy Faerie exact justice from a lovely driver whose ice cream company is committing copyright infringement? One orgasm at a time! Josie hates her usual route through Sierra Glade, a creepy little town with a craving for sweet stuff. When the gorgeous Lur takes her hostage in the middle of town, there's a brief standoff...mainly because Lur leaves her too weak to stand! Hope you enjoy it!

Orlando Bound (and Gagged)

I am packed and ready to go! This week I'll be at the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention in beautiful Orlando, Florida. If you're heading over for the party, be sure to stop by Club RT on Thursday or Friday and say hello to me. I'll be helping out with the Phaze Books table, where you'll find lots of goodies to take home. We're bringing a selection of overstock books to give away - one per reader, please - and we'll have a lovely basket in the raffle, so definitely sign up for it.

Phaze Books sent over copies of More, More, More! to the book goody room this year, so be sure to grab a copy and I'll be happy to sign it for you. The story features my Dareville BBW short, Daringly Delicious, but I think the entire book is yummy. There are also a few free copies of Truth or Dare at the table this year, but they may go quickly so visit early.

Have a great week!

Celebrating Spring!

Springtime, and what better way to celebrate the season than a little healthy outdoor sex with your lover?

Find a grassy place (careful of the sticky things…well, unless your BDSM itch needs scratching… poking… whatever!), preferably someplace remote – don’t want a passing troupe of Boy Scouts to happen upon you – and under a blue sky, worship nature the way our ancestors did. Let the breezes cool you, the warm sun stir you, and consecrate the season with your joined ecstasy.

Coincidentally, I have a story coming out this week in an anthology devoted to just such outdoor pleasures. Coming Together: Al Fresco will be released on Earth Day, this Wednesday, April 22nd!

This version of the Coming Together series will benefit Conservation International. My contribution to the anthology is a short story called “Making Rain,”an erotic fantasy about an old-fashioned rainmaker and the unexpected results of his folk magic. Stop by All Romance eBooks and pick up a copy on Wednesday. Support a great cause while enjoying stories about the very best way to greet the spring – and be Green!

Chasing Publication

The lot of a writer is a strange one. There’s the irritation and stress of having a bunch of strangers talking in your head, trying to be your friends. There’s the pure terror of the blank page, of starting something brand new and not really knowing how it’s going to pan out. Then comes the euphoria of ‘the zone’ as I call it, that trance like state an author gets in when the words are flying across the page, created by parts of the subconscious they'd hitherto been unable to tap. And of course there’s the angst of realizing not every word written is literary brilliance, the agony and perverse satisfaction of ‘cutting the crap’ that is editing.

Last and most nerve-wracking of all, is the pursuit of publication.

Sometimes it goes swimmingly. An editor loves what you’ve done, without the need for revisions. Other times it doesn’t go as well. Even published authors get rejected. The fear of that dreaded ‘thanks but no thanks’ never goes away. It makes most authors wonder why the hell they do what they do. I write because I love it, everything about it. Even the scary waiting part—you never feel more alive than when you’ve just sent off that submission and your palms break out in a cold sweat. And it’s all worth it when the miracle happens and you receive that ‘YES’ email. Oh yes, that makes all the preceding agony worthwhile.

I’m happy to say, in my long winded way, that my latest book, Sunset Knight, has been accepted for publication by Samhain Publishing. It’s the follow up to my erotic romance novella, Chasing Sunset, which was released late last year. I’ll be blogging more about this novel in future, but for now Chasing Sunset is still available at MBaM, or your favorite e book seller.

Blurb:

When the sun goes down on their erotic encounter, who will be left standing?

After an unsettled childhood, Sidney McCall has finally found a home in Graceville. This dream town comes with a dream boyfriend. Drew Buchanan is charming, romantic, completely devoted to her—and he cooks! Now if only the whole commitment thing didn’t give her night sweats…

Drew, a professional chef, wants nothing more than to give Sidney everything she’s ever dreamed of, both in and out of bed. Even if it means serving up her most secret wish complete with a whipped-cream topping: a tryst with two men. His best friend Brody Nash is the missing ingredient, and the only man he trusts with the woman he loves.

What starts out as a little harmless sexual play quickly boils over into something none of them expected. An emotional minefield that could forever change the course of their lives.

"Chasing Sunset by Sami Lee delivers a solid emotional and physical punch... Ms. Lee takes you into the hearts, minds, and souls of three very different individuals... Chasing Sunset has all the right ingredients for a pleasing couple of hours spent with a great book. This one is not to be missed." Rachel C, Fallen Angel Reviews

Have a great Sunday.

Sami

site

blog

Just Released!

...just another day on the ranch.

That's what you think! An escaped convict out for revenge, arson and murder wreck havoc in the lives of two strong willed people drawn together against their will.

If you're into cowboys...sexy cowboys...then you'll love rough and ready Chase Saunders in "THE COWBOY WAY"!

Available at Whiskey Creek Press Torrid.

Also, check out my brand new website

New Dareville story on sale!

In the midst of traveling for the Easter holiday and the #amazonfail brouhaha, I had a new release:

The Dares That Bind
Phaze Books, $3
BDSM, Contemporary, Series
Click here to order.

Book 1.5 of Dareville!

Victoria Robeson is content to live at home and work her dead-end job, despite dealing with her overbearing mother, just as long as she has time to write. When she meets the handsome and mysterious Alton Weiss as Dareville prepares for Brady Garriston's big concert, Vic is unnerved and intrigued by how well he knows her personality and desires.

Alton introduces her to a world of sensuality and submission, encouraging her to become a new woman. But is Alton merely a weekend distraction, or the promise of a better life?

This story is set around the same time as Truth or Dare, and the characters will figure into the upcoming Dare Devils. In the meantime, I'm working on a non-Dareville work to satisfy my commitment to Loose-ID (and I hope that work will spawn a series, too), and a Darevile quickie freebie, as well as a few shorts I'd like to send out to a few anthologies. Jolie du Pre's call for cougar stories has me inspire to write one.

Also, a possible story for Phaze's Raven line. I have a great title I HAVE to use for it.

Do you ever think about Having It All?

In one of my many other lives I spent nearly eight years managing rock bands and country music singers. Let me tell you, that’s a world all its own. A totally different environment. The lines between reality and fantasy are frequently blurred, and making sure the talent keep a cool head when success comes knocking is often the hardest part of the job.
I’ve often been asked why I’ve never used that as background for any of my stories, but the time didn’t seem right until Daisy Giles and Mac Fontana took up residence in my head. I mean, come on. Who wouldn’t fall in love with a man named Mac Fontana?
That’s when Having It All was born, my story in the recently released Ellora’s Cavemen: Flavors of Ecstasy.

Here’s a taste for you.
When country rock singer Mac Fontana got his big break, he and Daisy Giles celebrated with a long night of fulfilling sex, where they explored each other’s bodies and took their intimacy further than ever before. It seemed as if nothing could ever go wrong. Then Mac broke Daisy’s heart and it was ten years before they saw each other again. Now, in one long night of erotic sex, Mac must prove to Daisy that she can trust him again and that together, they can have it all.
Excerpt:
Before Daisy could say a word, the doors closed and the car rose soundlessly. She wasn’t sure if she wanted it to hurry or take forever. While she was agonizing time ran out and the smooth glide upward ended. With another swoosh the doors opened to the penthouse foyer, and Mac Fontana stood waiting for her.
Sex personified, that’s all she could think. Age had been far too kind to him. The boyish frame had filled out, and a navy silk shirt and soft jeans showed off the well-defined muscles and broad shoulders that tapered to a narrow waist. Legs that went on forever ended in custom-tooled navy leather boots.
The smooth, boyish face she remembered was now a mature landscape, square-jawed with sharp planes and angles. Stamped by the passage of time. Tiny lines framed the full lips and bracketed the silver eyes watching her from under thick lashes. His black hair was still shoulder length, only now it sported a hundred-dollar trim and was artfully layered.
His presence, the overwhelming maleness of him, the raw power that made him so successful on stage, made her dizzy, and for a moment she felt light-headed.
“Hello, darlin’.”
That honeyed voice had deepened and had a richness that came only with age and experience. It sent shivers skittering along her spine and made every pulse in her body thump so loudly she was sure he could hear them. And she knew without a doubt that despite all the anger and aguish, ten years and a mistake of a marriage, she was and always would be desperately in love with Mac Fontana.
Great. Just great. She knew this was a bad idea. For a fleeting moment she was gripped by a desire to turn and flee, to get as far away from this man as possible. Clinging to her anger was better than dealing with the mixture of emotions swirling through her.
She swallowed, a difficult task with a mouth as dry as the desert. “Hello, Mac.”
He took her hand and slivers of heat traveled up her arm and shot through her body. “Thank you for coming, Daisy. Please come in.”
I hate him. I still hate him. I just need to keep remembering that.
She let him lead her into the suite’s huge step-down living room. Off to the right was the dining room and beyond carved double doors what she was sure was the master bedroom. Her eyes widened at the sight of every surface covered with vases holding huge arrangements of daisies.
“A little too much, huh?”
Was that a tremor in his voice? Uncertainty from the great Mac Fontana?
Don’t go there, Daisy. It’s just another part of the trap.
Her heart bumped her ribs. “They’re lovely, Mac. You didn’t have to get quite so many, though.”
He shoved his hands in his pockets. “I decided to go for too much rather than too little.”
She looked around, glancing into the dining room. “I thought we were having dinner? Or was that just an excuse to get me up here?” She couldn’t help the bitterness that crept into her voice.
The anger roared to the forefront again. Did he think she was just going to fall into bed with him after all these years? She’d given him the ultimate in trust and he’d trampled on it like an elephant. Left her heart open and bleeding. That wasn’t something easily forgotten.
Mac shook his head. “This isn’t a scam, Daisy, if that’s what you’re thinking. They’ll bring dinner up as soon as I call. I thought maybe we could have a drink first. Kind of ease into things.”
“Ease into what? Jimmy said you wanted to hire me to plan an event. How much easing does that take?”
“As I do. And we’ll get to it. But all in good time.”
She tried to tug her hand away from his but his grip was firm. Not hard, just…solid. And damn it, his familiar scent wrapped itself around her. Her body, reacting like Pavlov’s dog, responded to the nearness of him, nipples hardening, pussy gushing, muscles clenching.
You can find it at http://www.jasminejade.com/ http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnes&noble.com/
And visit me at http://www.desireeholt.com/ and www.myspace.com/judithdesiree

The Muse of Music

Like many authors, I have certain things I do to get "in the mood" to write. Sometimes, it comes down to simple BIC. Butt in chair. Nike made a fortune saying "Just Do It".

I'm a music person. I can write in silence and frequently do, but lately, I've been listening repeatedly to one particular singer ... Adam Lambert from American Idol. I've downloaded his music from iTunes and right now, that means I have a total of 5 songs and 5 videos. And I play them constantly!

There is something about him that not only inspires me visually (ok - duh, he's hot, and whether he's gay or not has nothing to do with it. He's a gorgeous man.). But there is some vulnerable-yet in-charge look about him that makes me want to write - to capture him in another format.

Will I write a book about Adam? No. I write fantasy and SciFi, but he certainly inspires me.

Surrender Love from Loose Id features a drummer with a rock band who captures the heart of Luc Saint-Cyr, a business mogul and entrepreneur who happens to be immortal. Unlike the impeccable Luc, my rocker (Rah) has no real fashion sense. As he puts it in one scene, his favorite "Iron Soul" shirt is worn "all the time when it's clean, and most of the time when it's not." His jeans are raggedly hemmed, and his shoes are shabby. The dude has money, but he won't use it. He saves it for his people's needs. Kory, the lead singer of the group is a former pleasure slave who saved enough to buy his own freedom, and he's advised Rah on finances and helped him build a portfolio. Rah has no idea how wealthy he is. Luc could "buy a planet" and is rarely seen without a suit or tux, except on the cover where he's ... um ... shall we say wearing his best birthday suit?

Could I be inspired by Adam enough to write a book about Kory? Possibly. I don't know anything more about Adam Lambert than what I've read in the news online. He's a pro, he's not a diva, he shows respect for fans and management, is always on time, he's talented and has a huge range with his voice. He's not afraid to belt out a song with everything he's got. He holds nothing back. He's polite to his competition. Simon Cowell gave him a standing ovation. Wow. When did that happen last?

But watching Adam move, seeing him connect with fans, how he holds the mic, how he licks his lips during a song -- his confidence and the way he commands the stage -- those are things that would make a great character. They certainly seem to make a great person!

Any of you have famous people you've used as a pattern or a model for a character? Come on, tell. I won't say a word. =^_^=

EXCERPT - GAY - TIE 'EM UP, HOLD 'EM DOWN - PASSIONATE PLUME finalist

This is the end of a wonderful day for me! I've just been notified my gay contemporary novella TIE 'EM UP, HOLD 'EM DOWN is a finalist in the Passionate Plume contest sponsored by RWA's online Passionate Ink chapter. I'd forgotten I'd entered this contest, so that made it doubly nice because it's a surprise.

THE STORY: They knew it was dangerous to be gay in the all male, macho world of firefighting, but when Dane Garrison and Bear Barrington are forced to sleep together, the barriers to expressing their love and satisfying their hidden lust for each other break down. Bear, terrified for them both if they're outed after their brief time together, shuts Dane out as if their passion had never existed.

Dane wants this man in his life forever, and, more aggressive and secure, he fights against Bear's resistance to their relationship. How he will win, or if he will win, will seal their fate forever…

EXCERPT - WARNING - EXPLICIT GAY

Bear stood, still facing the fire, and unzipped his jacket. He heard movement and thought the dogs were shifting in their sleep. He froze when he heard Dane say, "Here, let me help you with that."

Bear thought he'd never take another breath again. Electricity shot through him, sparking his naughtiest senses to life. All he had to do was turn, and he'd see what every sensual nerve in him had clamored to see from the first moment he'd looked into those smoky eyes. The few tantalizing glimpses he'd gotten at the firehouse had only fanned the fires of desire higher.

Dane pulled the jacket off. It landed on the floor with a soft swish and hands tugged his shirt out of his pants. "Raise your arms."

Bear could feel Dane's breath on his neck, and he shut his eyes against the warm tide that rose inside and lapped against the barrier his heart had built, almost engulfing him. He slowly raised his arms, even as he told himself how dangerous this was. He couldn't stop himself. He heard the muted sound of the shirt joining the jacket.

Warm hands stroked Bear's shoulders. A cheek was laid against his back, and he felt the faint stubble of facial hair. By morning there'd be a sexy five o'clock shadow. He felt his cock finish filling.

"Are you trying to seduce me, Dane?" It came out in a whisper.

"Damn right. I'm pretty sure you gave me the look today, but if you want me to stop, say so now. I've wanted you since I first laid eyes on you."

Bear couldn't have spoken if his life had depended on it.

Dane's voice was thick with desire as he nuzzled the nape of Bear's neck and his hands strolled down his spine and squeezed his buns. "Do you know your skin has no scent? Blood could pick it up, but I can't. I'll carry the memory of a strong, clean man with me for a long time." His voice dropped low, became rough. "But when we've finished making love, the smell of my cum will be on you and yours will mingle with mine. That's the scent that'll be imprinted on both our brains. I want to fuck you, Robert Barrington, and I think you want to fuck me, too."

Joy flooded him. Bear couldn't repress the hoarse sounds that escaped his throat as Dane reached around to unbuckle his belt and carefully slide his zipper down over his bulging package. He inhaled quick and sharp as Dane grazed his cock in tugging his pants down.

Crazed with want and hot with need, Bear's hands shook as he pushed his boxers down and stepped free of pants and shorts.

"You were careful not to look when I undressed. Did you want to, Bear? If you'd wanted to when I lost my towel in the station house, you didn't. Or if you did, I didn't catch it."

"Oh, I looked all right. I was afraid I'd have wet dreams that night." Bear couldn't keep the rasp out of his voice, couldn't halt--didn't want to halt--the throbbing in his dick.

"Look now. See all of me, and let me see all of you."

Bear turned slowly and drank in the beauty of a sculpted body whose sinewy muscles were hard as stone and so developed that, just as he'd seen on Dane's arms, the veins stood out all over it like a drawing by Michelangelo. He'd seen the strength in those arms as they'd handled the force of a fire hose on flames, seen the intellect at work when it picked up the telltale trails of arson and the kind spirit as he'd responded to a hurt child. Now he saw a cock dripping hungrily with the juices of sex, pointing straight at his belly.

Flickering light danced over the trim, angular planes, and Bear's gaze wandered to the dark swath of hair that began at the navel and traveled down to the mystery between his hips from which his hard-on jutted. "God, you're beautiful," he whispered.

"Talk about beautiful. You're just as I imagined you'd be from seeing the fine hair on your arms. Now I see thick, sandy-colored hair across a broad chest and down your belly to a big cock primed and ready for me. I'm glad you haven't shaved there. I hate that. Come to me, Bear. Touch me. Love me."

With a low cry, Bear crushed Dane against him...

Available now http://amber-allure.com/TieEmUp.html

For the sequel, see http://amber-allure.com/HanginWindowMan.html

Carolina Valdez

http://www.carolinavaldez.com
http://www.myspace.com/sensualstories
http://www.twitter.com/carolina_valdez

Surviving writer's block...

Don't you love the term "writer's block?" It's a generic term for a very broad spectrum of reasons why we -- writers -- tell ourselves that we can't write. Don't have time. Need to do _____________ first. I need to check the mail, feed the cat, do the laundry, clean the dust bunnies off the blades of my ceiling fan (and that's funny because your dishes have been sitting in the sink for 2 days because you hate housework LOL).

That's actually only a small part of it. That's the procrastination part which I'm REALLY good at.

But what else? What about the part where you stop and say "I should quit. The plot's too weak, the characters too weak, not enough ________________" OR This isn't really good. It's not as good as I should have made it. Maybe I'll go back and edit the first two chapters AGAIN before I move on -- then you don't move on.

That's what I like to call, "perfectionist's block" because you're taking yourself to task for not being perfect. Did you ever stop and think that it doesn't have to be?

Think about it. Sitting down and writing a story and expecting it to be a perfect book is about as realistic as sitting down at a piano when you've never played and expecting yourself to be able to play like "Great Balls of Fire" like Jerry Lee Lewis. It's not going to happen. You can learn to be great. You can polish that book until it shines like gold. But it's going to take time, it's going to take work. It's going to take more than editing yourself into oblivion and convincing yourself it's not good enough.

So it comes down to two things, right? Motivation and confidence? Sometimes you need like a field guide to get you going again, to remind you to WRITE FEARLESSLY.

I strongly recommend If You Can Talk, You Can Write by Joel Saltzman. The book has been around a while but it saves my writing career on a fairly regular basis like an old friend I can bug and whine to about my writing. It gives tips on how to get past perfectionism, how to retrain your brain to be more positive on your work, and is written in a way that it can be used to keep you motivated on a romance novel or just a memo for your office. It's wonderful and written in a very entertaining way. =)

It's also available almost everywhere, even in ebook.

Okay, so remember, WRITE FEARLESSLY, and I'll be talking to you soon!

Isabella Jordan
http://isabellajordan.com

Romances Rejuventate

Whew, almost didn’t make it today. I just got home from our family’s Easter gathering in Cape May, NJ. And it’s taken me a bit to decide what to write. Today brings an end to a week of spring breaks for a 7 and 12 year old. This break also involved three days with a sick hubby. And it ended spending two days with 32 relatives. This gathering happens every year and includes egg hunts, cooking and setting out many meals. Not to mention the mega amounts of drinks and laughter.

After this, it’s difficult to have a creative thought, much less a coherent one. *g* But I wouldn’t change it for the world. (Ever notice we, moms, say this after we feel the need to whine just a bit?) So bear with me.

During the two days, my mother-in-law excitedly handed me a New York Times article titled: Recession Fuels Readers Escapist Urges. An awesome article about how the sales of romance novels have gone up during the current financial troubles we are facing. Not only in paperback but in E-book sales. Romance readers are loyal to their genre! Some interviewed admitted they would give something else up in order to keep buying the books.

It has been a common cycle when times are tough people tend to turn toward romances more than other genres. During the Great Depression, Gone with the Wind was the most popular book. It had record breaking sales. Why? My guess and the reason presented in the article too...we want a happy ending to get our mind off the stress of everyday life. A place to escape and follow characters as they face and overcome obstacles in order to reach their (at times seemingly unobtainable) Happily Ever After.

After being a long-time mystery and sci-fi reader that’s why I opened my first romance novel. After a dangerous delivery that led to an emergency C-section, it was discovered my third child would have severe Cerebral Palsy. It turned our whole world upside down. And as I struggled to make sense of it and be a mom to him and my other two boys, the stress was to say the least a bit overwhelming. My doctor suggested I take time out each day and find some way to take my mind off things. She suggested reading Romance. I took her advice.

The first one I read was Once A Warrior by Karyn Monk. My mind was opened to the world of tortured men in kilts. And I became a loyal fan of Karyn’s reading all she has published. This led me to Sandra Hill and then given my paranormal background I delved into the books of Christine Feehan. The first Erotic novel I read was Awaken, My Love by Robin Schone. Yes, these ladies books fill my keeper shelves, along with many other authors I have become a fan-girl of, thanks to the enthusiastic recommendations of readers I met on discussion loops. Not to mention all the Ebooks stored in memory and now on a Kindle.

There is an endless supply of escape and dreamy sighs that can leave you feeling rejuvenated and ready to take on what life has planned for you. You can visit new worlds or you can revisit old friends as many times as you want. All for the same price as a specialty Coffee *lol* and we know that just ends up going down the drain, eventually.

It just goes to show Romance readers are the best! If you would like to share…What was your first romance? What made you pick it up? Which ones are on your "keeper" shelves? (I'm always looking for new reads, can't you tell?)
Here’s to many dreamy sighs!
Mari

Phaze sale and free download of The Healing!

Celebrate romance with the Customer Appreciation Sale at Phaze Books! For a limited time get 25% off your next order, eBook or print, at Phaze.com. Use the code PHAZEWIN to get the discount, but don't wait. We don't know how long this sale will last.

Speaking of great deals, for a limited time you can download for FREE a copy of my Gaylactic Spectrum Award shortlister, The Healing! What better way to spend the forthcoming week of tax preparation than with a story about vampires! Head over to Phaze.com to download the story today.

Won't Be Long!

And my 3rd torrid romance with Whiskey Creek Press Torrid will be out! If you like cowboys then be sure to check out "THE COWBOY WAY". A hot read from my alter ego, Tory Richards. Come April 15th you can purchase the ebook or print copy.

Blurb-
After years away, Lacey Owens returns home to visit her father and get a little R and R, never expecting the danger that waits around the corner. Her attraction to Chase Saunders, half owner and ranch foreman, is intense and out of control. Meanwhile, an escaped convict targets Lacey in his quest for revenge against her father.

“Tory Richards can write a hot story!” ~Fallen Angel Reviews

Unedited Excerpt -

“I want to talk to you.”

“Really? And here I thought you stopped to kiss me.” What was she saying? Baiting a man like Chase was dangerous.

There was a long pause. Something flickered in Chase’s eyes. His expression gave nothing away, though. Lacey began to feel nervous again, though for a different reason than the one back at the house.

“The cowboy way, ma’am?” His tone was soft, dangerous, carrying the subtle threat of an unspoken promise.

Lacey swallowed nervously. The cowboy way? That was twice he’d used that expression. She wondered what it meant. An explosion of heat uncurled inside her belly, as her imagination ran rampant. Of the two of them locked in a hot, passionate embrace. No longer was Chase’s mouth firm and unyielding, but soft and sensuous. His eyes darkened with smoldering intent. Yet instincts warned Lacey that Chase was just as dangerous now as he had been a moment ago, in anger. She tried to jerk the reins from his hands, suddenly afraid she was about to find out what the cowboy way was.

“Let go.” Misty moved nervously beneath her, obviously sensing her growing panic.

In the blink of an eye his expression changed. “Not until you listen to what I have to say.”

“You can’t bully me, Chase.” The wind blew at her loose hair, and she reached up impatiently to wipe it out of her eyes. “I won’t let you.”

He reared back his head and laughed at her comment. “And how do you propose to stop me? I could do anything I want to you right now and you wouldn’t be able to stop me.”

Lacey tightened her lips in frustration, even while the thought of what that something could be caused a tingle of excitement to zing through her. As his hard mouth curved upwards in a crooked smile that was sexy as sin, she wished she could wipe that arrogant expression off his rugged face. He was so sure of himself. The look in his eyes told her to go ahead and try. Well, she’d taken self defense lessons a few years back and wasn’t as helpless as he thought.

“Then maybe you should have warned me about you, this morning!” She jerked on the reins again, harder this time. When he wouldn’t release them Lacey reached out and slapped him across the cheek. She caught her breath, realizing a man like Chase might strike back. He didn’t look the type to turn the other cheek, or ignore a challenge. Their eyes clashed in silent battle.

Then without warning he reached forward and pulled her from her horse and into his arms. His gaze dropped to her mouth before returning to her eyes. “I think you need to be taught a lesson.”

“No!”

“Yes!” He hissed. He crushed her to him and slammed his mouth down on hers, locking any protest deep in her throat. Lacey struggled but it didn’t seem to matter to Chase. He over powered her easily, while managing to control his stallion’s nervous movements with ease and expertise. Lacey brought her hands up and pushed against his massive, rock hard chest. But it was like trying to move a mountain. She whimpered beneath his attack, becoming aware of things she didn’t want to notice.

She began to slip towards the ground and ceased her movements, bringing her arms up to cling to Chase’s neck. It brought Lacey closer to him. He growled, forcing her mouth open until he could slip his tongue inside. Unwillingly, she began to melt under his rough kiss, returning the thrust of his tongue against hers. A sharp need of desire uncurled inside her belly, turning her blood hot. She was afraid of not being strong enough to deny him if he should seek more than a kiss.

Lacey had never been handled so ruthlessly by any man before, no one had dared. And while she balked at his arrogance, she couldn’t deny the feelings he roused. The thrill of his mouth on hers, the feel of his whiskers against her tender skin and the taste of something sweet on his breath heightened her arousal. Her nostrils flared, greedily taking in the masculine scent of sweat, leather and horse.

Most of all his arousal.

Lacey’s breasts swelled against his chest, her nipples hardened into painful knots. When his hands traveled down her arms he left a trail of tingles behind. But when his hand closed over her breast, Lacey knew real desire, and fear. For her betraying flesh swelled even more into his caress. She shivered violently and moaned as his thumb flicked across her nipple, and arched her back before she realized what she was doing.

Without warning Chase broke away, promptly ending the sizzling moment between them. Lacey’s lungs screamed for air, and it gave her little pleasure to see Chase was just as out of breath. His expression frightened her a little. Dark like polished stone, his eyes were glazed over with heated passion, his nostrils flaring like a wild animal. Lacey could feel his heart beating in rhythm with her own.

She tried to turn away from his all too seeing eyes but there was nowhere to go. His horse moved beneath them, but Chase kept him under control with the steady pressure of his solid thighs and knees. Realizing her arms were still locked around his neck, Lacey slowly broke her hold and lowered them, humiliated and angry.

“You’re a bastard,” she said softly, taking a deep breath and trembling with her emotions.

“You asked for it,” Chase rasped indifferently, his breathing almost under control again. His smoldering look went over Lacey’s hot face, a satisfied gleam with what he saw filling his eyes.


HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!
Debbie Wallace AKA Tory Richards

My First EC Print Release!!!

I’m absolutely thrilled to announce that my first Ellora’s Cave story is now available in print. No, it’s not a full length book, but a novella, co-written with Lyn Cash. Titled Ring of Seduction, it was published in digital format as part of the August Jewels of the Nile series. Now all the August stories, all centered around the semi-precious stone Peridot, have been combined in an anthology called Passionate Peridot.






Here’s the blurb from Lyn and my contribution, Ring of Seduction.


Line: Anthology,Twilight
Book Length: 344 pages
Book Type: Trade Paperback
Publisher: Ellora's Cave Publishing
ISBN: 9781419958687


BLURB:

Mellika’s lusted after Zeb for some time now, mostly because of his exotic good looks. So when he pauses to admire her peridot ring at an Arabian Nights-themed party, she can’t wait to find out what’s under his genie costume. She’s about to get more than she bargained for, though—Zeb is an actual djinni. As in the magic-making kind.

Luckily for Mellika, her ring isn’t the only thing holding Zeb’s interest. The peridot may give them a special connection, but true passion can’t be conjured by magic. Zeb is about to make all her wishes come true, and then she’ll be a believer for good.


EXCERPT:

He drew her out into the hallway and closed the door on the party. “Do you want to do this here or would you prefer the privacy of your apartment?”

Her jaw dropped. “Hey, I don’t mind a bit of fun, but I’m really not into public displays.”

Zeb grinned. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it that way.” He lifted her hand, the one with the peridot ring, and clasped it to his chest. “Are you willing to suspend disbelief, sweet Mellika? Because what you’re about to experience is beyond your wildest dreams.”

“Pretty sure of yourself, aren’t you?”

“Would I be so presumptuous, my sweet?” He lowered his head and dropped a light kiss on her mouth.

As his lips met hers, Mellika gasped. Zeb took full advantage, trailing his tongue along her bottom lip and sucking it into his mouth. A moan tumbled from her throat and fire shot through her veins. She pressed closer to him, one arm snaking up around his neck. Zeb released her other hand and wrapped his arms about her waist. He pulled her closer still. Close enough Mellika could feel the heat of his body against her breasts. Her nipples hardened, a visible sign of her arousal. Zeb groaned deep in his chest and rubbed his pecs against the rigid peaks.

He thrust his tongue into her mouth, silently demanding she meet him in kind. She was more than happy to comply. His taste intrigued her. Spicy. Exotic. A fantasy made in heaven and destined to be played out on earth.

His smell flamed her senses. A mixture of sandalwood and jasmine. Of sex and sin. A combination that drove the tension in her body higher. It ignited nerve endings all over her body. Synapses fired, driving the message home. She wanted Zeb with a hunger she’d never experienced. Her clit ached. Her panties grew wet. Without any conscious volition, her hips thrust forward and rubbed against the hard erection she felt pressed against her lower stomach.

As if he’d finally received the signal he waited for, Zeb deepened the kiss, his own hips taking up the movement Mellika had instigated. He bent his legs until his hard cock nestled between her thighs. Then he thrust his hips in a rhythm designed to drive her to the brink of a cataclysmic orgasm.

The flimsy material of her costume was no barrier against his onslaught. The friction against her pussy made the muscles in her stomach clench. Her breasts felt swollen. Her body throbbed, the ache centered on her clit. And all the while he ravaged her mouth like a thirsty man taking a final draft of live-giving water.

When he finally broke off the kiss, they were both breathing hard. Mellika laid her head against his chest and dragged deep breaths into her lungs. Tension still streaked through her body, making it difficult to think of anything else but fulfilling her fantasy with Zeb. She wanted nothing more than to rip his clothes off and have her way with him. In full sight of anyone ascending the staircase, and the consequences be damned.

Zeb sucked in a hoarse breath and rested his head against hers. “Rub the stone in the ring,” he whispered, keeping his arms tightly clasped around her. “Peridot is about to become your slave, but remember, I did say my way, right?”

Mellika struggled to catch her breath. When she finally had her emotions under control to a degree, she grinned. She was more than happy to accommodate Zeb’s foolishness. “Nothing wrong with a little fantasy in a girl’s life,” she said in a breathy voice as she rubbed the tip of her finger over the green stone.

Within a heartbeat, the world tilted. A burst of brilliant white light surrounded them, leaching out in spikes of pulsing yellow-green. The passageway outside the apartment receded. Mellika grasped hold of Zeb’s arm, an anchor in a swirling blast of wind that threatened to rip the air from her lungs. Consciousness dimmed. Black spots gathered before her eyes. The breath squeezed from her lungs. Then, with a sonic pop, the pressure eased and Mellika blinked her eyes on a totally different existence.

“What in freakin’ hell just happened?” she whispered.


LINK TO BOOK:
http://www.jasminejade.com/p-7170-passionate-peridot.aspx


Copyright © 2008 Alexis Fleming & Lyn Cash ~ All Rights Reserved.
Alexis Fleming
Daring desires…otherworldly seductions
http://www.alexisfleming.net

It's all about trust...

When I started researching my current release, I didn't know an awful lot about submission and domination. Reading about it always gets me really really hot though. I mean, flushed all over, tingles over my skin, dripping wet HOT! *fanning* *fanning*

But what does it all mean? Why do these relationship dynamics fascinate me so much?

So I surfed the net, visited dozens of forums, read several articles and books and I also spoke to practising submissives in an effort to find out as much as I could. I realised very quickly there were so many things about the relationship between a dominant and a submissive that I could relate to. I came to see that it wasn't the bondage, or the toys, or even the equipment that did it for me. (Even though I still love a good toy )

It is the absolute honesty of the d/s relationships that really gets me off. How can you not love a person who knows you and your body better than you do yourself? Someone who celebrates and rewards even the smallest successes, but cares enough to pull you into line when you stray off course. How liberating to feel so cared for that you gift that person with your complete trust and give over yourself to them. Who doesn't want a gorgeous and caring Dom to take control? Just thinking about it makes me go all tingly!

I still don't profess to be anything more than a novice when it comes to BDSM. I can't even say for sure that I'm a true "submissive", but in the mean time I'll keep enjoying my research and writing about it, because at the end of the day, trust in a relationship is what we all crave isn't it?

Here's a short blurb from THE MASTER'S PRIZE...

What happens when a conservative girl sneaks in to a BDSM club for a look and makes an impression on the Master trainer? He pulls out all stops to claim her for himself, that’s what! A radio charity auction gives Mitch Collins just the opportunity he was looking for. When he claims his prize, a mind-blowing kiss confirms all his fantasies and leaves him determined to win her trust.

You can read an EXCERPT on my website :-)

THE MASTER'S PRIZE is available NOW from Total-e-bound.

Click HERE to buy this book.

Maggie Nash
www.maggienash.com
BOYS DOWN UNDER - Out now at Aspen Mountain Press
THE MASTER'S PRIZE - Out now at Total-E-Bound

The Little Story That Could

I wrote a short story once. Set it in Hawaii, a place I'd never been to. I'd love to go to Hawaii and I tried to convince my husband I needed to go there immediately for research. I failed at that, but I did - I think - write a nice, hot little tale about a lonely geologist and an imprisoned ancient Hawaiian tribal chief.

So, why am I babbling on about this? Stone's Soul, my very first Ellora's Cave release, is NOW AVAILABLE in the Passionate Peridot PRINT anthology! Seriously, I am so excited I have been picking up the book and breathing in its fanning pages every hour (yes, I know...I am odd *grin*)

Anyways, I'd like to share the book trailer for Stone's Soul and a little snippet, if I may. Enjoy.

Excerpt

Copyright © LEXXIE COUPER, 2008

All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.

Jordynn Harrison looked at the small, dirt-encrusted stone in her hand. Something about it puzzled her. It didn’t look right. About the size of a walnut, its rough surface seemed somehow unnatural. Too concise in formation. She raised it close to her face, rolling it between her thumb and fingers, searching for clues in its texture. Hmmm. Definitely not igneous. Maybe evaporitic, possibly metamorphic…

A soft warmth spread through her fingers. A tingling heat.

Jordynn frowned. She brought the stone closer still, studying it intently. No naturally formed stone she knew of conducted heat without a heat source, and despite the humid mid-summer afternoon, she didn’t think the dormant Hawaiian Mauna Kea volcano constituted as a heat source. Nor, for that matter, did her fingers.

She cocked an eyebrow. “Odd.”

Without warning, a blistering heat singed her fingers, like she’d closed them around the molten tip of a fire poker. With a sharp and totally undignified yelp, Jordynn dropped the stone. “Ow!” She studied her stinging fingers. Long, slightly calloused and ingrained with dirt. Typical geologist’s fingers. Yet, despite the pain radiating from their tips, free of any blisters or reddening burn marks.

Jordynn frowned, turning her inspection to the hastily dropped stone at her feet. Gingerly, she picked it up. Small, dull and cold. Hardly anything to make her cry out like a little girl. She turned it over and over, gnawing on her bottom lip as she did so. Something about it looked…wrong.

She spat on the stone’s grimy surface and smeared away some of its crusted dirt.

A chill rippled up her arm, lifting the fine hairs on her skin and making her nipples pinch into tight peaks. Jordynn blinked, staring at the now dullish-green stone in her hand. What the…?

Another chill shot up her arm, followed by a wave of pulsating heat.

Her pussy clenched in response, as though replying to an unknown question.

Do you want to be filled?

Oh yes, please!

“What the hell?” Her muttered words sounded oddly loud in the silence and she blinked.

Unease crashed over her and she swallowed a sudden lump in her throat. Silence? In the forest? She tore her stare from the strange stone to look out at the lush Hawaiian rainforest.

And saw a man standing on Mauna Kea’s rim.

A naked man, with long, glossy-black hair and deeply bronzed skin stretched over hard, sculpted muscles.

A naked man staring at her through thick, black lashes with piercing eyes the color of wild limes.

Jordynn started, dropping the stone again.

The man disappeared. Just like that. One second there, the next, gone.

Jordynn’s throat squeezed tight. “What the hell?”

Educating Jane Porter

Greetings readers! The sequel to my December release, Seducing Jane Porter, was released last Tuesday! Release week is always a little nerve-wracking for writers. Crazy thoughts always go wandering through my brain...what if they hate it...what if I never publish again...

Yeah, we can be a little needy at times. :)

Educating Jane Porter has something for everyone - uber sexy, a menage to DIE for and bondage - hey, what's a little spanking among friends?

To celebrate this release I'm holding a contest for those who read this blog. Simply email me at wilder @ jcwilder.com and put Blog Entry in the subject line. This contest will run until Friday (3/10) and I will select 10 random winners who will receive a free ebook from moi. You can only enter once and please, no one under 18.

Good luck and happy reading. :)

Book Trailer for Homecoming by Regina Paul...

Just a couple of more days until my story Homecoming comes out at Eternal Press and Amazon.com! In the meantime, I thought I'd post my trailer for this story. Enjoy!

ER IS OVER!!

During the last season of nursing school, a new television series began. It was called ER and introduced us to great characters like Dr. Doug Ross and Nurse Hathaway. Last night the season finale aired. I taped the show because I'm not really sure if I'm ready to see the end. Is anyone else out there sad about the end?

As a registered nurse in a challenging ICU, I'm very critical of shows or books that display medical drama. The case scenarios should be as close to reality as possible and I felt that ER did a great job in this respect. Although some things they took license with, I realize that in order for the entertainment factor to come into play this is a necessary part of television. Just like they do on the series House.

My current work in progress takes a look at the antics of an ER nurse and her fellow co-workers. I've tried to keep the details true to life while maintaining the entertainment factor. It is difficult to balance the horror of some true life medical emergencies with love and laughter. While looking back over the years of NBC's drama, ER, I realize that is exactly what the writers have been able to accomplish. Incredible! I know my work is cut out for me!




In the meantime, enjoy an excerpt from my current release, The Doctor's Deception!

Stone stopped the car in front of Russo’s Dance Studio and let out a slow breath. He hoped this worked.

Faith twisted in the seat, a speculative gleam in her eyes. “Dancing?”

“Not just any dancing, ballroom dancing. You game?”

Her lips curved provocatively. “We never did get to dance at the dinner last week. Let’s do it!”

He helped her out of the car and tucked her hand in the crook of his arm.
“What am I going to learn this week? More imagery? What medical questions are you going to ask me tonight? How do we begin?” she asked, excitement lit her entire face.

“Whoa!” He chuckled. “Not so many questions at once. You’ll see how this is going to play out. Come on. Let’s visit with Ben.”

“Ben? Ben Russo? Is he going to give us our lesson?”

“You remember him?”

She smiled. “Of course. He was the first patient you operated on when you came to Deerborne.”

“That’s right.” Stone was impressed she’d remembered. “You have quite a memory, Faith. You’ll make an excellent doctor.”

“Flattery will only get you so far, Stone,” she said, a mischievous bent in her green eyes.

“I guess I’ll have to work on that then, won’t I?” Several enticing scenarios came to mind, but he held himself in check. He wanted tonight to be perfect.
He escorted her inside where they were greeted by a receptionist. A young woman in her early twenties, wearing a warm, friendly smile. She led them to an empty room with bright lights, wood floors, and wall-to-wall mirrors.

“Mr. Russo will be with you shortly,” she said and left them alone.

“Well? What do we do now?” Faith held out her arms as if to embrace an invisible partner and began to move. “The Waltz? The Samba?”

Mesmerized, he watched her body sway seductively and his groin reacted.
Get a grip on your libido, Lassiter. First, the lesson.

Oh, but that was easier said than done. Especially since he knew she’d had to chuck the bra because of the backless dress. The idea of her wearing the red thong under the silky material teased him unmercifully. He’d never wanted a woman like he wanted this bit of trouble in front of him.

“Stone?” She paused and gave him a quizzical look. “You seem a million miles away.”

He cleared his throat and smiled. “Not at all.” He cupped her chin and lightly traced her lips with his thumb. “Just thinking about dancing with you.”

“Ah, Dr. Lassiter. Nurse Daniels. How lovely to see you both,” Ben Russo said as he breezed through the doorway.

Stone dropped his hand and placed it on the small of Faith’s back. The softness of her warm flesh met his palm and under the tingling, he felt a tremor run through her. He turned his head and their gazes locked. A message passed between them. Without words, they both knew how this night would end.

Aware of Ben in the room, Stone tore his eyes away and faced the elderly man.
He was five feet tall, and both Stone and Faith towered over their instructor. Even with white thick hair and his face lined from his seventy-one years on this earth, he was the youngest geriatric patient Stone had ever met. Ben’s shrewd gaze caught everything and his glance moved from one to the other. He smiled.

“Mr. Russo, how have you been? It is so good to see you again.” Faith extended her hand.

“Nurse Daniels,” he said, taking her fingers with a slight bow. “It has been a long time. I have been well, thanks to the expertise of the good doctor here. He comes to check on me once a month to make sure I’m taking care of myself, so I don’t have to go to his office.”

“You must remember to call me Faith, Mr. Russo. Nurse Daniels makes me sound like I should be wearing white, complete with the nurses’ cap. I am off duty, after all.” She bestowed an encouraging smile on the elderly man.

Ben Russo shrugged. “I am just an old man, stuck in his ways, my dear. You’ll have to forgive me.” He rotated towards Stone. “I’m happy to report my blood pressure has been excellent, and I am walking five miles a day.”

“That’s admirable, Ben. You’re one of my best patients. And you’re taking your medication?” Stone asked. He caught Faith’s raised brow at the exchange. Why does she seem so surprised? In order to have her continued support and help with the rest of the nursing staff, it was important she know this about him.
The nurses may not have any love for me, but my patients certainly do.

“Absolutely.” Ben nodded. His gray eyes rested on Faith. “Have you been practicing your footwork? It has been such a long time since you’ve been in. You know how an old man worries,” he teased.

“You’ve been here before?” Stone asked, stunned.

She grinned sheepishly. “Well, of course. Mr. Russo came to the unit after he was recovered and offered the staff free dance lessons as a thank you for the care he received. How could any of us resist? It was the most fun the nurses have had in a long time.”

“And it was a pleasure to teach all of you. Nurse Daniels will make you a wonderful partner, Dr. Lassiter. She glides across the floor like a dream.”

“I’m sure she does.” Stone slid his hand along her back, hiding his disappointment. Why hadn’t the old man told him this bit of information when he’d made the reservation?

He’d wanted to be the one to teach Faith how to ballroom dance. Who had she done the Rumba with? The pharmacist? The thought of her in another man’s arms spiked his own blood pressure about one hundred points. His grip tightened on her waist and she gave him a questioning glance.

“What dance are we going to practice today?” she asked.

“Ah.” Ben rubbed his hands together and smiled. “Tonight, the good doctor has requested the Tango. Let us go through the steps first, shall we? Then we’ll add the music.”

He motioned for them to get into position in the middle of the floor, arms embracing one another. “If I remember correctly, and I never forget a student, Nurse Daniels is an outstanding Tango dancer.”

Stone stiffened.

“What’s the matter with you?” she hissed. “You look furious. Why?”

Ben began to count and they moved in unison.

Stone opened his mouth to protest, then snapped it shut. He blew out a breath, willing his anger away. Faith was the best thing to happen to him in a long time.
Don’t blow it Lassiter. She prizes honesty. Give it to her for once, damn it.
He met her puzzled gaze. “I’m sorry, Faith. I don’t like the idea of your doing the Tango with another man.”

“You’re jealous?” She laughed softly, pleasure shining in her green eyes. “That’s wonderful.”

“Wonderful?” Not from where he stood. “Christ, Faith, cut a guy some slack, would ya?” He couldn’t keep the incredulity from his voice and could’ve kicked himself for his slip in composure. She only smiled wider, a knowing gleam in her bright eyes.

She spun back into his arms and his chest brushed the tips of her breasts. Tiny sparks of fire erupted, fanning the flames of his desire. He heard her gasp, and knew she’d felt the scorching heat, too. Her satin cheek pressed against his, her jasmine scent rose and filled his nostrils. His gut clenched. The smooth skin of her back lay under his firm palm as he guided her across the room. Closing his eyes, he imagined her tangled in his sheets and his body coiled tight, hardening in response.

Sweat broke out on his brow. Christ! This was hot already and they’d just begun.





To read more go to www.kathleengrieve.com